An electrical cable comprised of multiple signal carrying conductors is utilized as a shielded bus of a local area network to interconnect a host computer and work stations that communicate with one another through the network.
The host computer or any one of the workstations provides a packet of electronic data to be sent over the bus. Each work station is associated with an electronic transceiver that functions to transmit the packet to the bus, or to detect a collision of the packet with another packet being transmitted along the bus. Upon detection of a collision, the transceiver sends an electronic collision signal back to the work station, causing the work station to delay transmission of the packet. The process is repeated until the transceiver functions to transmit the packet to the bus. Each transceiver is distinguished from other transceivers by an electronic address. Each packet is encoded with an address to insure that a selected transceiver receives the packet and transmits the packet to the work station associated with that transceiver. Each work station gains access to the network through the transceiver and a cable assembly having a shielded electrical connector that connects to the bus.
A known cable assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,879 comprising, an electrical cable having multiple signal carrying conductors encircled by dielectric material and by at least one conductive sheath, and ends of the cable joined to corresponding electrical connectors. The cable includes two coaxial cables, and conductive sheaths of both cables are connected to a conductive shell of a connector, and two signal transmitting conductors of the two cables are connected to a center contact of the connector that is ordinarily suited for connection to a single coaxial cable. This cable assembly is suitable as a drop wire for disconnect connection of a single work station to a transceiver permanently installed along a bus of a local area network. The transceiver functions to prevent disruption of the bus when the work station and the drop wire are disconnected from the bus. A need exists for a cable assembly that interconnects work stations that incorporate their own transceivers. A further need exists for a cable assembly that will serve as a bus for interconnecting such work stations. A further need exits for a cable assembly that will self terminate to prevent disruption of the bus when such a work station is disconnected from the bus. A further need exists for a cable assembly that link together with similar cable assemblies to form a bus that will self terminate to remain operative in the absence of a work station connected to a connector of the cable assemblies.